


Darkness Lends Solemnity

by whensheflies



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 23:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3828184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whensheflies/pseuds/whensheflies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack strikes a deal with his former boss. And the devil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darkness Lends Solemnity

**Author's Note:**

> The title is a quote from _The Bacchae_ by Euripedes. Yay school inspiring me to write pirate slash. Bwhahaha.
> 
> originally posted to lj in 2008.

Darkness Lends Solemnity

“Douse the lamp.” His voice was firm, but the pirate could hear the weakness in his tone, just waiting for the cracks to surface.

The candlelight danced upon the emotionless mask of Cutler Beckett’s face, his eyes like moths to a flame and Jack the flame. Jack granted him one smoldering glance and a ghost of a smirk before wetting his thumb and forefinger with his tongue, sending the room in darkness with his fingertips.

“You knew I’d come back, then?” Jack mused, taking a few blind steps forward into Beckett’s office. His eyes were beginning to adjust to the lack of light, he could make out the silhouette of his nemesis.

“Of course, Jack. I have something you want.” The nasally pitch in Beckett’s reply made Jack clench his jaw in unexpected anger.

“You’ve taken away everything I’ve ever wanted, Cutler. You know you have nothing that could interest me.” Jack spat, uneasy with his own seriousness. Beckett was handled well with wit, poking and prodding his sensitivity with provocative teasing. Usually Jack could easily bend Beckett to his will and purpose, but the tables had inevitably turned. Jack was powerless. He ran his fingers over the wound on his forearm, a brand unable to remove. The brand burned not on his arm, but onto his consciousness as well. It was something not easily forgiven.

“I am positive that you’ll feel quite differently once we’re through.”

“The _Wench_?” Jack asked, hoping against hope. He didn’t care if he looked weak in Beckett’s presence if it meant having his ship back.

Beckett nodded solemnly. The scrape of the wooden legs of Beckett’s chair against the floor made Jack’s cringe. Beckett took deliberately slow steps to stand in front of Jack, tilting his chin upward to meet the pirate’s gaze. “Indeed. I can raise your precious _Wicked Wench_ from the depths and she can be yours once more.”

Jack narrowed his eyes. He knew Beckett far too well. This little act of generosity had nothing to do with kindness. But Jack realized that if he could actually get his ship back, he’d even make a deal with the devil if necessary. Hell, he’d sail to the ends of the earth to get the _Wicked Wench_ back.

“What do you want, Cutler?” Jack snarled.

Beckett raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

A moment’s hesitation and disgust gave way to Jack’s stronger desire for his ship. It was all the same with eyes closed, wasn’t it? He’d been there before anyway. Under his touch, clutching East India Trading Company sheets, Beckett would agree to anything. Jack loosened his belt, his cutlass and pistol, and tossed them to the floor. “Have you got any rum in this place?” he asked hopefully. Rum would help greatly.

“Sorry, no.” Beckett said, growing impatient.

“Alright then,” Jack replied, pulling his shirt off, letting it slide off his arm to the floor knowing that Beckett was devouring him with his stare. “But before we get started here, I need you to tell me how you’re going to go about getting her back for me.”

Beckett crossed his arms. “How do I know you won’t just run out of here once I’ve told you?”

Jack spread his bare arms in a wide gesture, a smile spreading across his face unexpectedly. “I’m Captain Jack Sparrow. Man of my word.”

Beckett forced a small smile. “Very well then.” He took one last step closer to Jack so that there was little space between them. “Jack, what do you know of Davy Jones?” he purred.

“Enough. And that’s all I need from you.” Jack said before leaning in and giving Beckett exactly what he wanted.

Later, when Jack was pulling his clothes back on, carefully, so as not to wake Beckett from his sated slumber, he thought about what lay ahead of him. So it would be a deal with the devil after all. Crossing paths with Davy Jones was not something Jack looked forward to, but if it meant his freedom and his ship…he’d go this very second.

_She’ll be needing a new name_ , Jack thought to himself as he pulled on his boots. He looked back over his shoulder at Beckett, at the blackness of the room, a darkness almost suffocating. And yet, one beam of light found its way through the darkness. The moon shone through the window of Beckett’s room like a big pearl.

Staring out the window, Jack grinned. The promise of freedom and victory was overwhelming. Within a blink of the eye, he was gone, stealing away in the shadow of the night.

 


End file.
